HEAD COACH JOHN HARBAUGH
Opening Statement: "Alright, obviously, [we] got beaten [in] every way you can get beat. [I am] very disappointed with that. I did not expect to see that. I thought we'd play a lot better than that, based on the way we practiced. And hats off to [the Texans]. They played a really good game and made a bunch of plays. They did a great job on first down; we did not. They built a rhythm, really, throughout the game, and we did not. So, [it was] just a complete disappointment, and we're going to have to find a way to turn it around and figure out who we are this next week and then into the bye [week]. And after the bye, we're going to have more than half the season left, and we're going to have to find ourselves. So that's what our aim will be going forward. What questions do you have?"
When you're looking at the game, obviously, like you said, it's a disappointment. How much do you also kind of consider the injured guys you didn't have here, and what the guys did out there on the field? (Jamison Hensley) "You have to just look at the tape. I don't think we played well. I thought we would play better. I thought we would tackle better. I thought we would just play our run defense better than we did. It was not up to standard. We had good enough players out there to play a lot better than we did. It's just disappointing."
You mentioned that you thought you practiced well this week. When you don't see that reflected in the performance, what do you do, as a coaching staff then, when it's not aligning from practice to the game? (Luke Jones) "You have to look at everything. I think it starts with us, as coaches. We have to figure out how to put the guys in the best positions to make plays and do things right. There were a lot of things out there that weren't done correctly. So, we have to ask ourselves, 'How does that not translate to the game,' No. 1. And then, 'What else can we do?' What else can we come up with to figure out ways to challenge people and gain some yards and get some stops?"
Did you feel there was a lack of effort or belief or buy in or however you would want to put it? (Childs Walker) "I didn't feel that. I didn't feel that all week, [and] I didn't feel that in the game. I think the effort was there; I just didn't think the execution was there. We didn't do what we needed to do. And it's going to have to start with us as coaches to figure it out."
When you consider where you are, record-wise, and also the long list of injuries and guys you need to get back, is this one of the more challenging times you can remember in your career here? (Mark Maske) "Yes, we've had a lot of them. I think back to a lot of challenging times. I think every year has had challenges, and if you look back at some of those seasons, there were stretches, [but] none more challenging than this right now. This is the one we're in, and this is tough. But like I told the guys, this becomes a measuring stick for all of us. So, what ends up happening is, when you go through situations like this – and everybody does in their life, and every team does in their career, players and coaches and everybody else – it's [about] how you handle it. And when people look back and say, 'Hey, when things were the toughest, when things looked the worst, when we were at our lowest point, how did you handle it? How will you be remembered for how you handled it?' And I'm looking for people to come out fighting and give their best in those kinds of situations. That's what you have to do. When you do that, you come out the other end."
With the lengthy list of injuries – we know that, and for some of the guys, you don't know who will be back and when – but what do you see as maybe the most quickly fixable things here? (Bo Smolka) "I think fundamental football is the most quickly fixable thing. And I expect to see us play fundamentally-sound football. I don't think we did that, all the time, today. It wasn't egregiously bad, but this run defense, it's just not OK. That's not something that should happen. We haven't fixed that, really, all year yet. That's the No. 1 thing that we have to start with. We can't let them get the yards [teams are] getting on first down. You can't play behind the sticks the whole game, on both sides of the ball. And that's been pretty much a theme throughout the course of the whole season so far."
Do you have to consider changes with defensive coordinator Zach Orr or the defensive staff? (Jeff Zrebiec) "You try to do the most productive things, and I do not think that that's the answer. We have to go to work, is what we need to do. We need to stick together, is what we need to do. We need to find ourselves. And that has to do with coaches and players [working] together."
You talked last week about offensive play-calling. How did you feel you guys adjusted this week? (Sam Jane) "I thought the play-calling wasn't really an issue. We tried to do the things that were in the gameplan, and we never really generated a rhythm. We had the turnover early when we had a little bit of a drive going there. [Jalen] Pitre made a nice play on that flat route. That low interception hurt us. So, I didn't think that was really the issue."
To that, obviously, playing with no QB Lamar Jackson is an uphill battle offensively, but just how disappointing it was to not really be able to get the run game going at all? (Cordell Woodland) "Yes, it was disappointing. I give them credit for stopping it, and we have to find a way. That kind of goes back to the fundamental football part. We have to find a way to generate that part of our game."
RB DERRICK HENRY
On what needs to change: "We just need to play better. It's easy to finger point when everything is going bad. We haven't been playing good [and] have not been a good football team, but you just have to go back to work. We still have to go into work on Monday, so as a whole, we just all have to be better. Like I said, it's easy to finger point, say this [or] say that. It's just not good right now, and we need to fix it quick. We still have time. We have some guys banged up [and] nicked up, but it's definitely not what we wanted to display today. [There were] things to learn from the last two games, [and] we have to learn from all of them. [For] me, I need to do better."
On not expecting to be at this point: "We're all kind of surprised right now [by] what's transpired, but who's going be the one that turns it around? It's going to be us, so I know it's hard to be like, 'We can still do it.' But I still believe in these guys. I'm going to try to keep leading the best that I can, showing up to work, working hard [and] doing my job. Like I said, it's easy to be negative. Everybody can have the 'Poor me's,' and 'Why this? Why that?' But I'm not blaming anybody. I look at myself first and see what I need to do better, and then we all go in there as a group, as a unit, and try to fix everything and turn this thing around as quickly as possible, like I said before."
On the frustration over not getting the run game going: "It just wasn't good enough, us as a whole. It takes all of us, but I still believe we can get to where we need to be – as far as in the run game – to help this team, to be efficient and to make plays, because we've done it before. We all saw it last year. It's just not clicking right now. We just have to find ways to make it click, and when it goes, go, dominate the line of scrimmage, be explosive. I have to be better. We all just have to figure it out. I'm not going to be negative. It's easy to be negative, and we'll try to be positive, encourage everybody and tell Flock Nation keep believing, because we're going to keep going to work and try to fix this thing."
On the team practicing well and not translating it to the game: "Everybody practices hard. Everybody comes to work, practices execution [and does] what we need to do. As far as putting the work in throughout the week, it's just not translating. That's what I said. It's not like we're going in there just lollygagging and not doing our job. Everybody comes to work, is [intentional] and wants to get the job done [and] let it translate to Sunday. It's just not, but I believe it will. We just got to keep fighting, keep showing up, keep believing in one another, hold each other accountable, and I believe it'll turn around."
On if the messages from the coaches are still connecting with the guys in the locker room: "Yes, definitely. Like I said, it's easy to turn your head the other way, but I'm not doing that. I think of myself as a leader on this team. We have all the right guys to get it done. Like I said, we didn't display what we needed to today. [We'll] fix it, get ready for next week, start getting guys back that are injured right now, get back healthy, and we'll see what happens."
On if he feels that the team is holding themselves accountable: "Anytime there's a loss, especially a loss like that, you look at guys, and we all evaluate one another, just like the coaches do. If somebody needs to step up and say something, we'll all do that. It's just tough right now for us, but like I said, I know every guy in this locker room still believes in one another. We just have to go do it. We practiced hard throughout the week, like he said, and just have to translate it to the game."
NT JOHN JENKINS
On how to respond from today's game: "I've got to go out there, and I've got to make sure that I'm doing my 1-of-11 [part], and when I'm not doing my 1-of-11, then I blame a lot on me."
On his trust in defensive coordinator Zach Orr: "[Zach Orr] is great. He understands the game, and like I said in the beginning of the interview, I've just got to get better. He put me in good positions to make plays, and I didn't capitalize, so I take a lot of the blame, [and] it was on me."
On if he feels like the team also shares that trust: "I don't know what guys are saying, but I know what I'm saying, and right now, it's that I'm only in control of my 1-of-11 [part], and I left some plays out there on the field that I should have been able to capitalize. So, that put me a position to capitalize, and I didn't capitalize, so I've got to get better."
On who spoke to the team after the game and what the message was: "The message was to just stick together. It's a game. Rome wasn't built overnight, so we've just got to keep getting better, and I need to capitalize on my opportunities."
On his message to Ravens fans: "I'm going to keep working."
TE ISAIAH LIKELY
On the adjustment in playing with QB Cooper Rush: "It all starts in practice. You get quarterback timing, and you get all your reps that [you need] in practice. So, [it's] just [about] making Cooper [Rush] comfortable at practice, so that in-game, he's just out there being him."
On the mindset of the team after starting out 1-4: "Man, [we're] trying to be 1-0 next week. Obviously, [we need to] learn from the mistakes that we had this week. [It's important for us to] understand what we have to clean up [and] what we have to get better at. [We need to] have a real heart-to-heart with everybody, and even with yourself in the mirror, and just [start] getting ready for the [Los Angeles] Rams."
On how they can put an emphasis on fundamental football moving forward: "Even with me, just starting off a drive [with] me false starting, that's just a drive killer. Starting a drive first-and-15 is harder than first-and-10, obviously, [when you're] trying to get back into a game. So, I'll just take the accountability on that drive, and the drives before for that. You never want to start behind the sticks, and in this game, we knew that they were going to be a tough opponent. We knew that their defense was really good. So, you're just trying to stack plays on plays to turn drives into touchdowns."
On what the messaging sounds like to encourage the team moving forward: "I'll say to just be honest when you watch the film. At the end of day, everybody understands that you're in the NFL for a reason. You're one of the best in the world at what you do. So, if you feel like you played your best game, and you can look yourself in the mirror and go to sleep at night saying that, then get ready for the Rams. If you didn't [play your best game], watch the film, learn what you have to do, and just come back and run it."
On if there is buy-in from the team to get out of the 1-4 hole they are in: "For sure. That just comes back to [being] leaders, and like I said, everybody looking at themselves in the mirror. Everybody [in the locker room] is a grown man. At the end of the day, when they get on the field between those white lines, the brother next to you trusts you. I trust you to do your job and to get a win when we're on the field."
On how big of a challenge it is to be 1-4: "I feel like it finally lets everybody settle down the noise and really understand that [we need] to take advantage of trying to be a 1-0 each week, rather than looking at what the media is saying about what it is at 1-4 now, [or] what it was in the future when we started 0-0. Now, everybody gets to look at the white lines of trying to be 1-0 that week."
On if he was optimistic about the outcome going into this game: "Every time we practice, I look [to be] optimistic on getting a win [that week]. Every week, I try to go in and understand that the goal is to be 1-0, [no matter] who is quarterback, tight end, receiver, running back, defensive back [or] whoever. [The] goal for the Ravens is to be 1-0 every week."
On if it feels like a snowball effect when things start to go wrong for the team: "I feel like that's where we're at right now. [We're] trying to get a win [and] trying to get out of this losing record. That's what the snowball effect [is]. [Nobody] wants to have it be their guy [or] their play. So, really just understanding that [by] just being a leader, [it's about] telling everybody [that] it's a new game, a new week and a new opponent, [so] let's just be us."
C TYLER LINDERBAUM
On how the team can turn it around: "No matter who's out there, we have to find a way to keep ourselves in football games and win football games. Injuries are part of the game. Whoever is out there, we have to play at a high level and a higher level. We have to stick together. Obviously, 1-4 is not where we want to be, but we have a lot of football left ahead and we have to stay together and [keep] this locker room together moving forward."
On if the team still believes the message that there is a lot of football left to play: "We better be."
On how the team finds their offensive rhythm and identity: "Like I said, whoever is out there, we have to find a way to win. Obviously, starting up front, we have to do better running the ball, pass protection [and] everything. [We'll] go back to the film, and we can't let this carry over to next week. We have to do our best to try not to let that happen."
On if it's execution or effort that the team is struggling with: "No, I don't think it's effort. I think guys play hard. Obviously, execution ... [We'll] go back and look at the film and see what we can improve on. That's the only way we're going to get better, and buying in and really looking in the mirror, and seeing if you're doing all you can for this team to win football games."
On how disappointing the lack of the running game is: "Obviously, we want to run the ball at an efficient level. We have the best [running] back in the game, so we have to find a way to be better."
On QB Cooper Rush's game: "'Coop' [Cooper Rush] took command of the offense. I thought he did a great job today, and ultimately, we have to play better around him."
On if the team believes they can go on a run after the bye week and getting healthy: "Healthy [or] not healthy, we have to play better. Guys that are out there have to play at a high level. It's the NFL. No one is going to give it to you. You have to go out there and play at a high level and take it."
RB KEATON MITCHELL
On how it felt to be back out on the field: "It was fun. I'm just trying to have fun, do what I do and try to make plays."
On if there is added pressure on kick returners when the opposing team continues to score: "No, [there isn't any added] pressure. It's just another opportunity to learn the kick returner [position]. [I] just get another shot at that, and [continue to] get the feel of it."
On how it feels to play with the new kickoff rules: "I like it. It is what it is. I can't change it, so I just have to go out there and get [familiar with] the feeling [of it]. Hopefully, I can do something next week."
On if he felt like he was close to breaking loose on a few offensive plays: "Yes. I kept slipping. But it's all good, I just have to get that feel [for it] back."
On the difficulties the offense is facing with the run game: "Nothing. We just have to keep [running] the ball, [and] keep giving [ourselves] opportunities. [We just have to] try to make them count."
On the message from head coach John Harbaugh after the game: "We've just got to come out, practice and keep going. Keep working hard. Don't hang your heads. We still have a long season [ahead of us], and [we need to] just keep going."
On how he felt out on the field today: "I felt good. I was just having fun."
OLB TAVIUS ROBINSON
On what he thinks needs to change to see improvements on the defensive side of the ball: "I think we just need to go back to work and get our stuff right. [What happened today] can't happen."
On the message to the team coming out of a game like today: "Just get back to work. [We have] another opportunity next week, so, it starts tonight, it starts Monday."
On what went wrong today on defense: "I think just we have to hone in on details and focus on doing our 1-of-11, and just play better football."
On if he thought there were miscommunications on defense: "I think, yes, communication is always important. So again, at the end of the day, we have to play better and communicate better to be better out there."
On how to take in the recent performances from this team: "You just have to fight through the adversity. Again, I think we can sit here and cry about it and drown in it, or we can get better from it. So, that's what we're going to do."
QB COOPER RUSH
On how he thinks his first start as a Raven went: "[It was] not the result we wanted. We wanted a couple drives in that first half back, and we got some key stops on defense in the red zone. You want to be able to go and capitalize on those. But I saw it well, things like that, you can look back, and it was good [from] a QB perspective. Just all around, [we] have to be more timely in our execution."
On what the message from the coaching staff was in the locker room after the game: "No one wants to be here, but it's where we're at, and you have to dig yourselves out of it. We have the guys that can do it. We have the staff that can do it, players – and kind of like Kyle [Van Noy] said, you just have to go do it now. We're kind of getting tired of saying it every week now. It's time to get out of it."
On what changed from the first offensive drive compared to the rest of the first half: "We just got behind the sticks. On offense, when you get behind the sticks, [with] things like that, it's hard; especially if it's a good defense. Those guys fly around, they're well coached, they've played together for a while, they know what they're doing, and you get a sense of that. So, if you hurt yourself, you're just making it easier for them. It can be hard."
On if the team is "shell-shocked" after the game against the Houston Texans: "I wouldn't say 'shell-shocked,' no. But there are a lot of guys in there that play a lot of ball and know what the NFL is like. It's a week-to-week deal, and obviously, no one's happy. But like I said, [it's] time to dig ourselves out of it."
DL BRENT URBAN
On what his initial thoughts are after the game: "It just hurts. It just wasn't good enough. We need to find a way to get better – plain and simple. [It] just hurts. [It] just wasn't good enough."
On how it feels to not be successful as a defense against the Texans' offense: "It doesn't feel good, obviously. That isn't the standard here. That's not what we're used to, so we just have to try to find a way to come together, just get better and play for each other."
On if the team's performance is "shell-shocking": "It's, obviously, unexpected. [I] didn't think that's how today was going to go at all. We just have to be better – every single one of us. It's one thing here, one thing there, [and] we have to kind of find a consistency on defense where we're all showing up."
On why he thinks the execution at practice is not the same as the execution during games: "It's such a multitude of things. We did practice well leading up to this. It's just the execution hasn't been there at times; whether it's just communication or just everybody being on the same page. I think we have to do a better job. [It] starts from me, starts from the front on back, really. So, [it's] disappointing [and] frustrating. We just have to find a way to get better."
On his thoughts about the outside criticism of defensive coordinator Zach Orr: "I have a big history with Zach [Orr], and I stand behind Zach, 100%. I think the execution out there – we're preparing the right way and having good practices and stuff, and we're not executing out there. It's on us, frankly, so we need to be better – plain and simple, and you can point all your fingers at one person."
On if it's frustrating to see defensive coordinator Zach Orr take blame when players feel like they are not executing: "For sure. We're the ones out there playing. I just look at it like it has to be on us. The coaches can't go out there and play with us, so it just has to be better."
On if he sees accountability being taken from the losses: "I think [with] the accountability, guys know. We know where there's mistakes happening. It's just a matter of going out there and eliminating those and executing, frankly."
On if it has been difficult with the changing of defensive lineups: "At the end of the day, we all prepared the right way, so I don't want to use anything as an excuse, honestly. I think it's just execution, focus, bring it every play, playing for each other and just finding a way to do that, frankly."
On how the team maintains confidence to play better football: "At the end of the day, we do believe in ourselves, as frustrating and as tough as it's been. We do still believe. We have confidence in ourselves as players. It hasn't been successful, so we need to figure out a way to just keep going out there and prepare and try to find whatever it is that's causing us to not execute."
OLB KYLE VAN NOY
On what his message to the team is as a veteran leader: "We have to get our [stuff] together. [I am] just being brutally honest. Coaches can give us the plays, but we have to execute, and it doesn't matter who you are in there, [you] do your job. [If the] coaches ask you to do something, do it. Myself included."
On why the execution in practice is different from game execution: "I mean, I'm not sure. I don't have many chances left, so I don't have time to sit and wait. We have to figure it out."
On how injuries have impacted the team's performance: "[There are] no excuses. I just watched the [San Francisco] 'Niners' have injuries, go out there and play football; [there are] no excuses for injuries. [As] professionals, you get paid to play, so we have to play better."
On if he feels the effort in the defensive huddle: "I don't ever think effort is an issue. I'm going to piggyback off – it's not a lame answer, but it's [the] fundamentals. We have to get off of blocks. We have to tackle. I know people don't want to hear that, but it's the truth. That's what you have to do [to get] better. In our positions, we have young guys, they have to grow up fast; they don't have time to mature over time. We need them now to step up, and the older guys need to step up, too. Guys that have been here for a couple years just have to play better [from] top [to] down. [There are] no excuses."
On if he thinks the messages from the coaching staff are not getting through to the players: "That's probably a question that's above my pay grade, probably. I think that's a [John] Harbaugh [or] a 'Z.O.' [Zach Orr] question, to be honest. I think their messaging is fine, and we have to be the group to take that, go out and do the simple things right – the fundamentals. Easy, basic stuff."
On how this season has been tough every week: "It was tough last year, too."
On if today feels like it could be a rock-bottom point for the team: "Well, we are 1-4, and I don't ever think it'll be a rock-bottom [point]. It could if it keeps going this way. I just think we have good enough players that all it takes is literally one play to change it, one win to change the momentum. Somebody has got to do it, and believe that they're going to do it, and continue to show up and work. As a group, I will say, guys are working; we're not, not working, we're not, not trying. We just have to play better. That's as simple as I can get and [we need to] take accountability, too, for not playing well."
On if he thinks the Ravens are practicing well enough: "I think that's a question [where] you can always say you can do better, right? I could practice [and] everyone could do their job a little bit better, right? We just have to find those ways to do things better. I think [in] practice, [with] what we're doing, we can all get better to hopefully get better for that being in the game. I wouldn't sit here and say we don't practice hard. We practice just as hard or harder than anybody in the league. It's just not turning over to the football field. It's not a production that the fans deserve and a production that we're happy about, clearly. I'm pissed."
On if he has seen enough accountability after recent losses and what that looks like: "That's a good question. I think I'll be able to answer that better after the week, to be honest – just being blatantly honest. I feel like there's accountability, but we will see."
